Community Health

Community Health Department is responsible for coordination of public health interventions and implement according to developed guidelines for reproductive health, child health, nutrition, vector borne diseases, veterinary public health, health education and promotion, and disability and rehabilitation programs.

Cross cutting programs including oral health, non­communicable diseases are also coordinated by the Department. Public Health Emergencies like epidemics and IDPs are also coordinated in the Department and done in conjunction with National Disease Control especially the Epidemiological Disease Division.

The Mission of Community Health Department is to support integrated public health services for control of both endemic and epidemic diseases.

Objectives of Community Health Department

To provide an integrated set of programs and divisions for a comprehensive, sustained and continuous, management of endemic and epidemic illness and conditions through health promotion and education, diesease control, case management and rehabilitation of the affected individuals and communities.

Specific tasks of the Department

Under the current re-structuring, implementation is a responsibility of the districts and local authorities. The role of the Department with regards to the attainment of the above objectives is as follows:

Development of policies, technical guidelines, setting standards for implementations

Providing technical support supervision to districts

Capacity building especially training to improve skills and service delivery

Monitoring and Evaluation of of the implementation

Emergency preparedness and Integrated Response Control ( Epidemic and Disaster Preparedness and management)

In addition, the department coordinates and maintains a national system for sustained integrated management of epidemics and emergencies, in collaboration with the surveillance Division.

Community Health Department has several divisions under it which include;

Veterinary Public Health – this division oversees and coordinates programs which are transmitted from man to animal and vice versa. The main diseases covered are: rabies, sleeping sickness, anthrax, bird flue, plague and other food borne worms such as tape worms. The unit is also responsible for standards for food hygiene, codex alimenterious.

Health Education and Promotion – is responsible for development of public education and public information. It also coordinates interviews with the Mass Media. Primary Health Care including Village Health Teams and Social Administration are also coordinated by the Division. Several film vans help the district in mass health campaigns.

Village Health Teams (VHTs)/ Community Health Extension Workers (CHEWs) - is responsible for strengthening access to and provision of quality health services to individuals, households and communities through active engagement and participation of individuals and communities.

Non­ Communicable Diseases – this is the latest Division under Community department which is cross cutting. The role of this division is to develop policies and strategies for the containment of diseases related to life styles (high blood pressure, and diabetes). It also covers diseases related to congenital defects e.g. sickle cell diseases, physical exercises, counseling and advice are some of the activities. cell diseases, physical exercises, counseling and advice are some of the activities. It is cross cutting and relates with several programs such as mental health, curative care, epidemiological surveillance, injuries and disability.

Control of Emergencies – there is a standing task force coordinated by the Department, to handle epidemics, land slides, natural catastrophes etc. It is integrated and social mobilization for rapid containment is key priority of action.